I wanted to do two things yesterday — first, sit down; and second, not go into the camper. I needed a recovery day, and (for the first time in almost two years here) I wanted to get through 24 hours without dealing with the RV.
My plan didn’t quite work out.
I had to check on the refrigerator and freezer I’d shut down the day before, of course. I was pleased to find them completely defrosted, and the bath towel I left on the floor of the fridge prevented any water from running out. Done.
Later I learned that a Priority Mail package containing the keys to the storage units in Ohio was waiting for me at the Yellville post office. So much for sitting down. I saddled up and drove to town, combining that run with a trip to Harps.
At the post office, I expected to be handed a standard USPS envelope. That’s not what I got.
This is:
As soon as I saw that box, I started laughing and couldn’t stop. I offered no explanation to the nice woman behind the counter. I’m sure she thought I’d lost my mind.
I waited ’til I got home to open it.
The storage unit keys were in one boot, along with my tattered, annotated copy of The Portable Thoreau. It was a gift from X1 over 40 years ago. She used to read it aloud to me when we traveled by motorcycle, in the evenings, by the campfire.
It was my first copy of Walden.
Anyway, my misappropriated muck boots are back with me on The Mountain. I parked them in the boot tray next to the front door.
Thursday on The Mountain heated up and got muggy fast. There were glimpses of blue, but for the most part, it stayed blessedly cloudy. That made it easier to keep things comfy in the cabin.
Early afternoon brought thunderstorms and wind. There will be more, they say, over the next few days.
I did get to sit, eventually. I was so exhausted that I was stumbling. It’s hard for me to describe how much relentless effort has gone into reaching this moment.
I got up from my chair occasionally and walked (stumbled) around the place, staring at stuff, making lists, plotting my next moves.
I figured out the shower curtain.
If’n I had a porch, I would’ve been sittin’ on it, watchin’ the weather roll in. That day will come.
Take care of yourselves, Patriots. Stay calm. Stay sharp. Stay free.
#WiseUp #LibertyOrDeath #Ungovernable